Song of a Siren
by Nellsie
Summary: The freak and the half-blood. It seems that from the beginning, they shared the common ground of a terrible fate. [HongIce. Half-Blood AU. Updated quite frequently, by my standards.]
1. Part One

**Part One**

* * *

The Siren's call was wicked.

Their song was so sinfully wonderful. Every note and great, smooth lyric was a lustful call towards those who traveled. A siren's job was to kill.

An angel could do no wrong.

An angel always had the option to repent, to choose their own fate. So when his father had an affair with a wicked, terrible siren, he was forgiven. As was his mama. She was a demon, it was only in her nature to deceive.

Leon, however, was left to the sea. He was the act of their sin. After all, a half-blood was worse than a full demon.

He was caged underneath the water, and the translucent bars would burn his hands if he ever thought to escape.

The bars were a crystalline hue. Allowing the light through them and remaining the color of the water that surrounded him.

Around him was salvation. The sea.

Full of those demons and creatures that filled it so much. Every animal and organism was his company, even if he couldn't speak to them.

When he was younger, his mother used to visit him. She'd sit by the bars of his cage and speak to him from the outside. He wondered why she had stopped.

When he slept, sometimes he heard her voice. It was reduced to a quiet whisper, and he had to listen closely to hear what she was saying. Sometimes she was pleading. Pleading to see her son again, and sometimes she was reassuring. Reassuring him that she'd come back soon.

He stopped believing her when he turned fifteen. For fifteen long years, he'd been alone, imprisoned in the sea. His mother would not come back. She was too far gone.

Other times, when he wasn't hearing the lies from his mother, he heard voices from the heavens. Angels having casual conversation and the low whispers of their forbidden discussions.

He sometimes wondered; if angels were so holy, so above the sirens and the humans and earth itself, could they see that he had done no wrong?

He was only a child, after all, what was so wrong with him being _born_? Didn't they say humans were born sinners? So why was he any different?

He was a monster though. It was all in his appearance.

Between his fingers and toes was the stretchy, clear web that attached each small appendage, and then there was the scales that resided over each joint on his body. His knees, his elbows, and his shoulders were all covered by the red plates.

And then there were the gills on each side of his neck, which quivered with every sweet breath he took. He was more siren then he was angel, he supposed.

He curled his legs up to his body, staring forward out the cage. In front of him was the empty, clouded sea. It was so hard to see through the thick, foggy water.

" _Bonjour…_ "

Ah, there he was.

"Hey Francis." He rolled his eyes. "What brings you here today?"

"I'm here almost every day, mon ami." Francis sighed, leaning his back against the bars of Leon's cell. "You're entertaining."

"You don't know that, maybe I'm, like, luring you with the siren's spell." Leon moved to lay down on the floor of his cell, staring at the ceiling of the cage. Francis laughed.

"We both know you don't sing, Leon."

Francis was a mermaid, or to be more accurate, a merman. They were different from sirens, from the top, they were completely human, and from the bottom, they were fish. Their tails were all iridescent, beautiful hues, and plated with scales.

Francis's tail was bright blue, and every scale reflected the light off of itself. Leon liked mermaids, they were nice. Nicer to him than sirens or angels had ever been.

Leon ran a hand over the dark red scales that coated his knees and glanced at Francis's tail. "I wish I was like you." He said "Then I could, like, go wherever I want."

"Well no, not on the surface or anything." Francis laughed "And besides, if you made use of that wonderful voice of yours, maybe you could get help." He shrugged.

"Yeah, sure." Leon rolled his eyes. "And then I won't have the wrath of God upon me." His voice dripped with sarcasm.

Francis laughed "You're far too negative for someone your age, you know."

"Well let's see, I've been trapped in a cage for fifteen years of my life, my only company is this one obnoxious mermaid-" He glanced at Francis "-and I hear voices in my head. I think I have reason to be negative."

Francis rolled his eyes "You ruin all my fun you know."

"I try to do so every time you're here." Leon said passively.

They conversed like that for a long while, with small insults and criticisms before Francis had to leave, and once again, Leon was alone.

He was happy he had Francis. If anything, he was happy he had _something_ to speak to besides the fish (Which never seemed to speak back), and the fleeting whispers that he received messages from in his sleep.

Sometimes he wished he had something else. Someone who understood his issue with his captivity, someone who could empathize with the song he wasn't going to sing.

And that was when, like a gift from the heavens, _he_ fell from the sky.

Well, not from the sky, but from that place above the water that Leon knew nothing about, into the deep, murky waters that Leon was imprisoned under.

Though right now, who has time for specifics?

* * *

 **-AN-**

 **So this is an experimental thing...**

 **The idea of it is I'm working on three stories in the 'Half-Blood AU' that will lead up to one story line by the time they end.**

 **Leon is a half Siren, and in this universe, sirens are considered 'demons of the sea'. This is indeed a HongIce, and it's rated T for paranoia and swear words (That will mostly be provided by our wonderful little Emil :P) The rating _might_ go up. I'm not sure.**


	2. Part Two

**Part Two**

* * *

Leon had never in his life, prayed before.

He had never had a wish that this 'God' would need to grant for him, and why would he want anything that God had to offer? All God had provided him was his mother, and even then, he'd taken that away.

Faith was something that would never matter in Leon's life. No matter how many times he prayed, or how many faithful people he spoke to, he would still be a sinner. It didn't matter what he did, he couldn't change his own history.

So it was strangely alien to see the human boy who had just fallen into the water, and somehow remained breathing, to kneel down and clasp his hands in front of him.

It made Leon incredibly uncomfortable, so instead of focusing on the praying, he decided to train his gaze on the boy's appearance.

The boy was incredibly pale, with extremely light blonde hair that hung in his face. He was covered in garments that Leon had yet to see on anybody. This was the ocean, clothes were not really a custom.

The boy's limbs were thin, so much so that it looked as if he'd been starved, and the hands that remained clasped in front of his face were larger in comparison to his arms.

His eyes were closed, and his blonde, surprisingly long eyelashes were the only thing Leon could see of them. Leon curled into himself, his knees to his chest, and his arms around them as he waited for the boy to end his prayers.

The boy took more than a few minutes to finish praying, but to Leon it felt like hours. Time always seemed to go slower when he needed it fast.

When the boy finished, he held his head up and stared into the sea beyond him. "Shit..." He whispered.

It was a word Leon was unfamiliar with, but he took the boy's tone to mean he was displeased.

There was a long pause, and just like watching the boy pray, it made Leon uncomfortable. He cleared his throat. "Um…" The boy turned to glare at him.

"Do you mind?" The boy hissed "I'm thinking."

"Well jeeze…" Leon muttered, curling in on himself more. "Like, fine."

It took the human boy only a minute to alert himself to the fact he was sitting next to another person.

"Wait, what the hell are you doing here?!" The boy's eyes widened in shock, before the violet irises and the wide black pupils found their way to Leon's scales. "What the hell _are you_?!"

Leon felt a familiar sinking feeling at that question. He scooted back, not leaning back on the bars of his cage, for the good of his back. "I live here." He replied clearly. "And I'm a half-blood…"

"Half-blood… what are you, exactly?" The boy's fearful expression had changed to one of unwholesome curiosity.

"Like, half siren," Leon replied half-heartedly. He had hoped this interaction would be better. Still, he decided to leave out the 'half angel' part for now. It just seemed… not good to mention that.

"I see…" The boy was silent for a long moment. "Sirens… those are the monsters that sing, right?" He hadn't said it in a mean way, but it was like a stab to the heart when Leon heard it. The boy was right though, he _was_ nothing more than a monster. A monster with a voice that drove sailors to their death.

"Totally." Leon sighed. "Monster is a strong word though…"

"Sorry."

There was more silence, and again, Leon felt that uncomfortable, stinging feeling in his head.

"What's your name?"

"How are you breathing?"

The broke the silence in unison, and they stared at eachother for a long moment, before Leon decided to answer the boy's question first.

"Leon." He answered, and the boy nodded in acknowledgement.

"That's a nice name." He responded. "My name's Emil. Emil Steilsson."

"Just Leon." Leon shrugged "So how are you breathing?" He pushed, his brown eyes meeting Emil's.

"I'm not supposed to be." Emil muttered, groaning "AND THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TRIED TO FUCKING DROWN ME!" He shouted up at the air. Leon shook his head.

"They can't hear you." He said "There's, like, a silencing effect down here. Besides, I think we're too far down."

"I know." Emil sighed. "I just can't fucking stand it. I can't fucking stand _them_." He hissed, clenching his fists.

Emil was using so many words that Leon didn't know. "I was, like, really mad when my mom left me here." He murmured. "You get less angry the longer you're down here." Emil looked at him funny.

"How old are you?" He asked.

"I'm in my fifteenth year." Leon said, shrugging a little. "How old are you?"

"Fifteen, I'm going to be sixteen in a few months." Emil raised an eyebrow at Leon. "So you've spent fifteen years in there?" He eyed the bars of Leon's cage.

Leon shook his head "Fourteen, really." He corrected. "My mother got a year to train me and stuff before they put me away." That was the reason he'd always been told, at least.

"Ah." Emil was silent for a long moment. "Do you talk to anyone down here?"

"There's this one mermaid," Leon started. "he sometimes talks to me, he doesn't stay for long though."

"Mermaids?" Emil's eyes flashed with fascination. "They're really here?"

Leon nodded "Mermaids, sirens… though they aren't allowed to be here anymore…" He trailed off.

"If only Lukas were here…" Emil said wistfully. "He'd love it. A lot more than I do."

Leon was silent. He didn't know who 'Lukas' was, but he assumed he was someone close to Emil in some way. Or at least someone who was fascinated with the types of things Leon had mentioned.

"What do you eat down here?"

Leon shook his head. "Siren's don't need to eat, or at least half sirens don't." He shrugged, in truth, it was probably the angel half of him that was keeping him alive down here.

"Ah… so I'll starve. That's comforting." Emil sighed. "My brother saw a siren, once." He commented, Leon found himself being drawn in immediately.

"Really?!" His eyes widened, "Where? What did they look like?"

Emil shook his head. "I never got to hear more of the story." He shrugged. "Sorry."

Leon's mood visibly dampened. "It's okay." He said.

They were quiet for a very long time, and that was when Leon realized that if he looked up, he could see the moon reflecting off the water. "We should sleep." He said, "Frannie said that if, like, the moon is out, that's time for sleep." Emil nodded.

"That's a good idea." He said, flattening out onto the seafloor. "Goodnight, I suppose."

"Like, night." Leon murmured, laying down and curling his legs up close to himself so that his toes didn't scrape the bars. "Sleep well." He whispered. He knew Emil wouldn't.

Sometimes he wondered.

 _'Is god mocking me?'_

* * *

 **-AN-**

 **So this happened sooner than expected.**

 **If you're wondering about the casualness of Emil and Leon's conversation, all shall be explained (This fic should be around thirteen-fifteen chapters), but yeah, Emil won't starve. You guys forget fish.**

 **Also, Emil's random underwater breathing isn't so random, and it will be explained, but I'd love to see what you guys assume. (If you happen to review, I mean, and you guys don't even have to assume stuff, if you don't want to...)**

 **Anyway, if you enjoyed, a review would be nice :)**

 **Oh, and thanks to all who reviewed, favorited, and followed on the first chapter :D**


	3. Part Three

**Part Three**

* * *

The first few days that Leon had spent with Emil were very silent.

The human boy didn't seem interested in speaking with Leon, and Leon didn't attempt to make conversation. He was too afraid of driving Emil away.

Usually, Emil just lay back and stared into the distance. He looked like he was contemplating something, and Leon felt an ache deep in his chest every time he watched Emil just stay there silently and look sad.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked one day, when Emil was just staring off into the murky water again.

Emil's blonde hair hung in his face so much Leon questioned how he was seeing anything for a long time. He sometimes laughed at the thought, when he was bored and starved for entertainment. Leon wondered if his hair hung in his face like that. Leon's hair was certainly longer than Emil's. Emil's hair was a little overgrown and hung maybe down to his chin, and Leon's hair went halfway down his neck. It was a strange thing, but Leon's hair did not grow. Not at all.

But back to the staring off into the distance.

It wasn't that staring off into the water was a _bad_ thing, per say. Leon found himself doing so quite often when he was younger. The water could be very beautiful, what with the colors and how the water turned lighter and brighter blue above them, but watching Emil just stare off blankly… it worried Leon.

Did that mean he and Emil were friends? No, Leon didn't think they were on _friend_ territory yet. They were maybe just friendly strangers. Did that make sense? Leon thought it made sense.

"Home," Emil replied quietly.

"Like, the surface?" Emil nodded, and Leon tried to imagine what the surface looked like. Would it look like it did down there? Just without water? Leon couldn't imagine somewhere without water. Would he even survive somewhere without water?

What did a world look like without the wet sand below them? Or without the gold light reflecting off the water during the day?

"What is the surface like?" He found himself asking, leaning back onto the bars of the cage. He hissed through his teeth, cursing the searing feeling that resided beneath his back. He ignored the burning. He was used to it, but it always managed to shock him.

Emil took a long moment to think about that question. "Dry," Was the first word he came up with. "It's warmer than down here…"

Leon blinked, he almost never noticed the icy cold of the sea water. Maybe that was because he was so used to it? That might be it. "What are the people up there like?" He took a moment to gather his words. "The humans?"

"Humans are… different." Emil shrugged, "There are nice ones, and there are bad ones. I lived with some bad ones…" He sighed, Leon tilted his head.

"So like mermaids? Mermaids can be nice, and they can be mean." Leon reasoned, and Emil nodded.

Leon knew the mermaid thing personally. He remembered that when he was little, he believed all the mermaids were bad. He supposed Francis had proved him wrong, maybe.

"Are you a bad human?" The words left Leon's mouth faster than he could think about them. Emil turned his head to face Leon's cage. His eyes stared into Leon's, as if he was trying to understand Leon by just looking at him. Leon thought that was silly. You got to know someone by speaking _to_ them, not by looking _at_ them.

"I don't think so." Emil said, his mouth making a flat line across his face. He hesitated, before saying, "No… no I'm not." The corners of his mouth downturned, and he started mumbling to himself.

"I'm not. I'm not. I'm not… bad… I'm not… I'm not a freak…" He whispered, and Leon observed him, his brown eyes calculated. He didn't know if Emil was still talking to him.

"I mean… I _am_ a freak, and in a sense… in a sense I'm bad, because I shouldn't… shouldn't be alive but…" Emil stared at the ground. "I'm not… I'm _not_ bad."

"Okay," Leon said with a forbearing tone, "I believe you…"

Emil looked up at Leon, and he asked, "Have you ever heard the word 'patient'?" Leon tilted his head.

"No," He said, shrugging. "Why?"

"I think it describes you well." Emil explained, "It means to be good at waiting, or dealing with things without getting upset or anything."

"Ah," Leon said, before shaking his head. "I'm not patient." He said. He didn't like that description, nor did he like that word, because it wasn't like he had a _choice_ in waiting.

"You are."

"I'm not."

"You are."

"I'm, like, not. Not at all." Leon sighed with exasperation. "I don't _like_ waiting, Emil. I _have_ to." He explained, staring into Emil's violet eyes, seeing if the blonde boy understood what Leon was saying.

Calm and content, that's what Leon had grown to be. When you were locked in a cage all your life, it was your only option. It was calm and content, or it was angry and spiteful, sobbing and depressed. Calm and content seemed to be his best option.

"...Leon, what happens when you're not patient?" Emil asked, blinking at Leon. It was a long moment before Leon could answer. Before he could draw up an answer.

"Bad things." He said simply. "Really bad things can happen."

"Alright," Emil said simply, not overstepping his bounds. He wanted Leon to explain, but he didn't want to push the siren boy.

"Goodnight, Emil." Leon said, leaning forward. He hissed, healing was always painful. The burns on his back faded, until all that was left were two long, faded scars. He supposed that was one advantage of being a half-blood. If he couldn't heal, he'd be burnt up all the time. Of course, the reason he'd be burnt up all the time was because he was a half-blood.

He watched as Emil looked up to see the moon reflecting off the water. "Goodnight, Leon." Emil said quietly, reclining back so he could lay down. He curled on his side, his head resting on folded hands.

Leon curled in on himself, his knees to his chest. He wrapped his arms around his legs, shifting a hand to graze the scales on his knees.

He was so… so _hideous_. He'd never be human like Emil was, or even fit in underwater, like Francis did. It didn't matter how human-like or fish-like he looked, he'd always be… he'd always be a _freak_.

He wondered if Emil ever felt like that. If Emil was ever kept up at night by the fact he was _different_. There were so many words that could describe Leon, and none of them were ever good.

It pissed Leon off. It was so unfair.

Eventually, all that hate and anger that was welled up inside him, it calmed. Distilled by the calm that always lay atop him, protected him from the outside.

Leon leaned back across the bars, gritting his teeth at the pain that met him, and closed his eyes.

Sometimes, it seemed the only time he was okay was when he slept.

* * *

 **-AN-**

 **This chapter was beta'd by esompthin. She's awesome, so check her out.**

 **So there is now a third chapter! And let me forewarn you, Leon and Emil are in for deep shit.**

 **Yeah, so I worked on this chapter for a bit, and I'm actually very happy with how it turned out! (And if you didn't know, I think my own writing is atrocious.)**

 **So yeah... anything else... oh, thank you to those who reviewed or followed or favorited the last chapter! :)**

 **Review if you enjoyed... maybe... please?**


	4. Part Four

**Part Four**

* * *

 _Thump, thump, thump._

The boy in his dream was a meek little boy who couldn't be more than a small child. He was shaky and frightened looking, dark brown eyes wide and filled with dread. Tresses of brown hair hung in the boy's face, and he was so thin.

 _Thump, thump, thump._

There was a rhythmic pounding that sounded in his head.

 _Thump, thump, thump._

It clouded his mind and made him want to die. It reminded him of the one thing he did not want.

 _Thump, thump, thump._

It was his heartbeat.

 _Thump, thump, thump._

He didn't want to be alive. He didn't want to deal with this anymore. He covered his ears. He tried to drown out the sound of his own heart. He wanted to pretend he was dead, just for a moment.

He leaned back and he felt burning. He leaned back and he felt like screaming.

The silence scared him. That noise scared him. Everything scared him. It felt like fear had bottled up inside him and had exploded within his heart.

 _Thump, thump, thump._

"Stop it…" He whispered, his paranoia filling him. Heavy sobs wracked at his body and he shook where he sat. He was burning, he was bleeding, he was hurting.

"Stop it… like, please… stop it…" He cried. The tears would not fall down his face, but instead he could feel the heaviness in his throat, and he could feel the burning in his eyes. It was like his lungs became stones in his chest, weighing him down and causing him pain.

"Stop!" He screamed. He couldn't take it anymore.

 _Thump, thump, thump…_

…

…

Then it was gone. Like the flame on a match, it burned out, and he was met with darkness. Save for his sobbing and shaking, there was no sound. He was met with deafening silence, and emptiness in his chest.

So he just sat down, feeling the burning on his back. He curled in on himself, knees to his chest. He tried to process the empty, lonely feeling in the pit of his sinking stomach.

"Bring it back…" He whimpered.

All in vain, because there was no resounding thump in his chest. There was no mellifluous pounding that eased the tremor in his body. His quivering continued, but his sobbing came to an end.

Because now, he had nothing.

* * *

Leon woke up shaking, and his eyes were burning. He placed a hand on his chest, and he felt the nothing there. He was hit by his own epiphany, that if Emil or Francis left, Leon was left with nothing. Not even his own heartbeat.

The thought seemed so impossible now. All his life, he'd been alone. At least, he'd been something close. He realized that he relied so much on that idea. That he was alone, and therefore had nothing to lose. In reality, there were so many things that could leave him now.

He wiped at his eyes, watching the blur of the world become blurrier. His tears were so useless. They would not help him, and yet they kept coming.

"Leon…" A murmur came from the outside. It was Emil's voice. Oh God, it was Emil's voice. "Leon, you're crying."

He was teary eyed and wailing as he attempted to look forward. He could not face Emil, he couldn't even glance up at him.

"Are you okay?"

That was a stupid question. No he was not okay. He was crying.

Still, he gave a weak nod, and a attempted to give him a smile. He couldn't, he really shouldn't have tried.

Emil reached a hand between the bars of Leon's cage, and his pale fingers brushed away the tears. Leon blinked, trying to clear his vision.

"What's wrong?" He asked. Emil looked different now. He wasn't indifferent, or even a little mean looking. He was concerned.

His blonde hair was pushed out of his face, and his violet eyes were wide. Leon couldn't tell if it was shock or sadness.

Leon stared forward into Emil's eyes. There were so many things he could see. So many things he couldn't describe.

Slowly, he lifted a hand to take hold of the one on his shoulder. Emil's hand fit nicely in Leon's, and he found himself struggling not to sob.

"I'm sorry…" He whispered, and Emil shook his head. He looked uncomfortable with the touching, but like he understood it.

"You've got nothing to be sorry for." He whispered, and just for a second, Leon felt him return his grasp. He shuddered, blinking back tears.

"I have everything to be sorry for." He said, and slowly, he guided Emil's hand to his chest. He let the boy feel what wasn't there, and he cried. "I'm a monster…"

Emil's eyes were wide in wonder and fascination. "No, Leon." He said. "You're different, and that makes you… special. That makes you amazing." Leon turned his gaze from Emil.

"I shouldn't exist." He gritted his teeth. His sharp teeth that belonged to a monster. His sharp teeth that he hated.

He had a bad habit of biting down on his tongue when he gritted his teeth like that, and he was careful to avoid causing the thick, salty liquid to flood her mouth. He hated when he did that. It always reminded him of how sharp and just… off putting his teeth were.

"But you do, and that's amazing in itself."

"No it's not."

"It is."

"This shouldn't be happening!" He shouted. He was so upset. He was upset with Emil for being understanding and not seeing how terrible he was. He was upset with himself for not agreeing with what Emil was saying.

"It's not fair." The words were all there, but they didn't connect in Leon's head. "You shouldn't have to deal with this. You're so… nice, and everything is so… terrible for you."

Leon remembered hiccuping, and grasping for words that would not exit his mouth. He didn't need to say anything.

"I'm sorry…"

Emil held Leon's hand tighter, and for the first time in such a long time, Leon didn't feel so alone.

* * *

 **-AN-**

 **Did you know that if you google 'Crying Synonyms' the word 'Ejaculate' comes up? Yeah.**

 **Well anyhoo, this is... this. I promise there will be reasoning for this, but meanwhile, let's all be happy that Emil and Leon are adorable, alrightie?**

 **Thank you to all who favorited/followed/reviewed last chapter! I love to receive further reviews and follows and favorites, and I'm very grateful for them :)**

 **Also, this story is beta'd by esompthin, and you should totally check her out!**


	5. Part Five

**Part Five**

* * *

For the next few days, Leon was as silent as the heart in his chest.

He was tired. He was so very tired lately. He was too tired to rejoice in the fact that Francis had returned from a trip to Provoa, and he was too tired to join the spirited conversation between the two, or even listen to it at all.

He found himself watching their conversation, and hearing the words, but none of them sunk in. Instead, it was like their voices lingered in his head for a moment before dissolving then and there. Eventually, Francis left though, and Leon and Emil were left with silence.

Leon assumed it must have been awkward for Emil to just watch him lean back and not attempt to make conversations. It was a weird shift of positions, considering Emil was acting like this in the beginning.

"Francis is interesting…" Emil began to start a dwindling conversation. Leon shrugged.

"Yeah, he's always been that way." He said quietly, "At least for as long as I've, like, known him. I couldn't tell you anything about what he used to be like."

"I see."

Silence.

Leon found himself mulling over the apparent question of the day, according to his brain. He glanced at Emil, looking through the bars at the violet eyes that made such a contrast to his pale skin. He and Emil were so different, aside from the species barrier. That was a given.

Emil looked like someone straight from heaven. His appearance was just sort of… ethereal in a way. His eyes were bright and once, Emil had told them that up on the surface they had a saying.

'Eyes are the window to the soul'. Leon didn't think that was true, at least not for anyone you didn't know well. You grew to understand the expressions of another once you got to know them. He wasn't sure what that meant, considering he could see the expressions in Emil's eyes. Did that mean they knew each other well?

Leon however, had seen his own reflection. He knew that he was a very plain looking boy when you got past his scales and his teeth and the half-blood thing he had going on. He had hair the same color as his eyes and skin just a tad less pale than Emil's.

Once, Emil had compared Leon's eyes to the color of chocolate, and that led to the conversation of what chocolate was. Leon couldn't comprehend what taste must be like. He hadn't had a morsel to eat in ages, so he wasn't sure if chocolate sounded appealing or disgusting, but the way Emil spoke of it, he assumed it was appealing.

Still, chocolate colored eyes aside, Emil was much prettier than Leon. Well, prettier in a sense. Leon had quite the idea of what pretty was, and Emil fit the bill perfectly. Emil said that was a term for girls, though.

Sometimes, Leon wondered if it was a bad thing that Emil had essentially appeared out of nowhere and reminded Leon of things he'd never be. He wasn't sure exactly how long the human boy had been there, but it wasn't very long, and yet he knew things about Leon that no one else did. Leon just didn't know what to make of that.

"Emil?" He looked up, meeting Emil's gaze. Emil sighed, relieved to get some conversation out of Leon.

"Yes?"

"Are we… friends?" The word 'friends' lingered on Leon's tongue, but it took a moment to voice it. It was as if the word wasn't going to escape his mouth, and that it was pointless to try. Still, he'd managed, and he looked up at Emil sheepishly. Emil took a moment to answer that.

"Yes, I suppose." Emil said, making a thoughtful expression. "I mean, we talk to each other like friends should. You've told me several things about you, and to be honest, I like being around you."

He blushed faintly at that last bit, and Leon felt an aching in his chest. It was a good ache, though. Leon wasn't even sure what a good ache would be, but this had to be it.

"You're interesting." He stated frankly, and for the first time in what seemed like a long time, a smile grazed Leon's face.

"Like, thanks." He smiled. "I just wanted to ask you, because I wasn't really sure. I didn't want to assume…"

"You can ask me anything, Leon." Emil shrugged, smiling a little at the siren boy. Leon realized that he liked Emil's smile. He hoped to see it more often. "I don't mind."

Lean grinned, before moving forward, pushing a hand through the space in the bars. He had to reach far to take hold of Emil's hand and avoid touching the bars, but it was worth it. He pulled on the pale hand, urging Emil to come closer.

Emil scooted closer towards Leon's cage, seemingly confused at why Leon had suddenly taken his hands and pulled him over. Whatever, he'd understand.

"Can I tell you the truth?" He asked, and Emil nodded. Leon took a deep breath. He liked the fact that he and Emil were friends. He liked telling Emil things.

"It felt, like… weird… being around you. I kinda, like, _needed_ to know if we were friends. Does that… does that make sense?" He asked. Emil took a moment, blinking at Leon for a second, before nodding.

"I get it." He smiled again, and Leon felt that weird ache again. He really liked Emil's smile. He had to admit, Emil looked better with a smile than any other expression.

"I really like you." Leon grinned, letting go of Emil's hand. He swore that he saw the expression on Emil's face fall a bit when he did, but he chose to dismiss that. Maybe he was just seeing what he wanted to see.

Emil blushed heatedly. "I suppose you don't really know what that means…" He mumbled, before looking up, "I like you too, Leon."

"Thanks."

There was more silence, but it was good silence.

"Tell me a story. Like, a story about the surface." Leon said, leaning back on the bars of the cage. The burn didn't surprise him as much as it usually did.

"Alright." Emil said, leaning on the bars, and Leon didn't bother asking him how he did that. He knew the burning only worked for him. He'd learned from a long moment of amazement at Francis. He didn't notice the small flinch from Emil.

"I don't have any particularly interesting stories, though." He warned, receiving a shrug from Leon in response. The brunette boy didn't particularly care, to be honest. Any story about the surface was a good story.

It was a long moment before Emil began a story. "My brother used to go on adventures." He began, leaning back. "He was an author, always writing books about the paranormal, and the different species."

"He was always really into it, and he was so interested in mermaids and sirens, and I think it was because he was jealous."

All at once, Leon found that ridiculous. His life certainly wasn't something to be jealous over, and he didn't believe that Emil's brother could be jealous of others like him. Sirens and mermaids didn't have it great either. At least, he didn't think they did. Francis had it pretty bad.

"Of course, the grass is always a little greener on the other side. He couldn't see past the surface."

"What's a grass?" Leon found himself questioning, sitting up and looking to Emil with curiosity and thirst for an explanation. Emil smiled with relief, apparently happy for this story to be over in such a short time.

"Just grass, not 'a grass'" Emil corrected, laughing a bit. "And well it's hard to explain… you know how we're sitting on this?" He asked, taking a handful of wet sand as an example. "Grass is like that, but it grows out of the ground and kind of covers it, save for the roads and stuff."

Sometimes, you don't really know what content is until you sit down and talk to a boy your same age and explain what grass is. Sometimes, a person can make you forget that someone attempted to drown you and you're stuck down in the sea.

And sometimes, you realize that you care about somebody by seeing them more interested in grass and what it is than they are in their own lives.

Yet in the grand scheme of things, when you're watching your friend smile and look thoughtful at the idea of grass, you forget about all that, and you get lost in the moment.

Emil got lost in the moment.

* * *

 **-AN-**

 **Ah, all in the days work. Some semi-fluff, friendship, and the laughter because I know it's all going to go to hell.**

 **Not anytime soon though, that is planned for far later in the story. (as is any actual romantic interaction, and Emil's backstory, actually. There's a ridiculous amount of buildup for all this shit.)**

 **Anyway, so Emil and Leon are friends now! Yay!**

 **I'm actually pretty proud of this chapter, and FRANNIE RETURNS (Also, if you caught the 'Provoa' hint there, I'd like you to look up the story 'Essence' by IzzieNoelle on Wattpad... you'll find yourself pleasantly surprised.)**

 **Or maybe not, if you don't like band fanfictions. Still, her's is awesome.**

 **Once again, this chapter was beta'd by esompthin, because she is wonderful :), and please, if you enjoy the story, I'd love to see a review! Or whatever, I'm just happy that people read this :P**


	6. Intermission

**Intermission**

* * *

It is so cold down here. So cold and so colorless, and that smell practically knocks him backwards.

The cage is different from Leon's. It is metal, and the bars are thinner. His space is remarkably compromised. Arthur has spent a great amount of his time trying to find a way out.

Some of the others around him do the same, though none of them have the persistence that he does. They have all given up. They have become possessions- lifeless and still. They've given into those two upstairs.

Arthur hasn't. He never will. He'll never be satisfied until he's free. He is the bird in the cage, and that woman may have burned his wings, but he will find another way out. He will find a way out of the gray and the darkness. He will find his light.

He is in the middle of pounding his hands on the cold, metal bars when she comes downstairs. She has a cup in her hands, and he knows what is coming. He recoils, his back on the bars behind him. He doesn't want to look at her, but she ignites something in him. Fear, maybe. Madness has always caused paranoia in people. Perhaps that is what is affecting Arthur.

He stares at her with wide green eyes as she saunters over to him. She kneels down, pushing the cup towards the bars of his cage. She makes a motion for him to move to the front of the cage, sighing in frustration when he refuses.

"We can sit here all day, if you want." She growls. "Or, you can be a cooperative little shit and drink the blood for mommy."

He hates her. He hates that when he looks at her he has to see the same bright green eyes that are on his face. He hates that he resembles her in any way.

Slowly, he comes towards the front of the cage, and she smiles. She presses the edge of the cup onto the bars, making a motion for him to open his mouth. He complies, and she tilts the cup forward so that blood spills into his mouth. Not enough to cure him completely, but temporarily.

Angel blood has always been natural medicine. It can cure anything. Well, _good_ angel blood can. Arthur's blood is frozen and stuck within his veins. It cannot cure him of his madness, and he must rely on the one person he doesn't wish to rely on.

It spills onto the ground below him as well, and when he feels the warmth of sanity begin to fill him, he pulls away. They've made such a mess with that blood.

"Mother." He greets. It's more of a hiss, really, because the emptiness that is his mind still knows that he does not like her.

"Son." She offers him a smile. He doesn't return one. "I've come to you for some advice about your little atrocity. You know Leon, don't you?"

He hates when she speaks of Leon, because she doesn't know that Leon isn't different from them. He is a child, innocent and devoid of crime. Leon is the one thing that Arthur can bring himself to love anymore.

"Yes, I'm familiar with my own child." He spits, and she still stands there, a pleasant smile on her face, as if she couldn't be more proud of her son. For a brief moment, Arthur wonders about Peter, the poor little cherub. He always received those smiles.

"That's good." She grins, before kneeling forward. "Tell me what to do."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He lies. He is lying so much lately.

"You do. You know exactly what I'm talking about." She says. "You know his abilities, and the future ahead of him. You know how I can go about this to keep my plan from backfiring."

"And why would I help you with this?" He growls.

"Well because," She begins, "I provide you with blood, a temporary cure to your insanity. I allow you to live here, sending prayers to Novak in order to betray me, and I gave you life. I don't see why you can't help me this one time." Slowly, her smile turns into a grimace.

"Besides, you don't have much of a choice. Help me capture the little fucker or you can die here, and we both know how angels die."

In agony. They die when they choose to, and his struggle will never be enough. His mother stopped his beating. He cannot choose to die anymore. He must go slowly.

Arthur looks down at the ground. He wishes that there was something more he could do. Some warning that he could give to Leon. A sharp pain hits his chests, and he looks up to his smirking mother.

"He has visions." Slowly, the words exit Arthur's mouth. He hates them, he hates that he's agreeing to do this, but he is no help to Leon dead. "Like you and I, but he can't control them. He only sees them when he dreams."

He continues, "A direct danger to his life would cause a vision that might lead him to you."

"What if I don't plan to kill him?" Mother raises an eyebrow, and Arthur scoffs.

"Then he wouldn't receive visions. Angels are designed to survive, not be happy." It's a statement that has so much truth to it. "You'd think Albion, the first resident of heaven, would know that." He laughs, and no sooner than that does he feel the spit hit his face. She doesn't respect him, and he doesn't respect her.

He wipes her saliva from his cheek with a grimace. She sneers at him.

"Good then." She says, before standing. It was a quick meeting, and he's grateful for that. Filled with guilt for helping her, but happy because she's leaving now.

She begins walking off, and he watches. She stands still for a moment, her back turned to him.

"Arthur, do you ever feel bad for stopping Leon's beating? He could be dead now. You could save him from the ill fate that he and the freak will receive, but it's already too late."

He is silent. He doesn't want to answer that question. Instead he faces the dark wood surface underneath him. He hates this ship. He hates this ship and he hates this life.

"I'll leave you to think on that." She says, before sauntering off. One of the others - a harpy, most likely - makes a noise that Arthur can only assume means 'good riddance'. Slowly, he clasps his hands together. This sanity will fade soon enough, and he will merely be the animal in the cage.

His fingers lace between each other effortlessly, and slowly, he opens his mouth, and closes it again. It's been so long since he's prayed, and not to God, to this old friend.

"Novak," He says slowly. "We have a deal, and you know what that deal is." He whispers, he can feel the coldness run through him.

"Protect him. I don't care what you have to do, just… protect Leon. Send another guardian, help him… I don't know… just… do something."

He screams as he feels the cold wash over him again. Praying is such an old form of communication, and he hates doing it, because his mother prays to that 'God' above. Only he knows the truth. She has grown to believe in her lie.

All he can think is that Novak must receive his prayer, amen or not, that is before the animal comes back, and thirst hits him again. He wants to be cured. He wants to be sane.

He wants his wings. He wants his life. He wants his siren. He wants his son.

He wants so much, and he has so little. All he has is madness and laughter bottled within him. Laughter that bubbles out and causes him to scratch at his arms and pound at the bars of his cage once again.

He lives for the drips of blood that stream down his arms. He lives to see that he is still alive. Because his mind is dead. His mind and his eyes and his morals. They all went with his wings. Everything had left him when his wings were taken. Everything except his faith.

His faith, that was always gone.

* * *

 **-AN-**

 **So... that was something new. Bet you thought that we were just gonna be cute all the time... yeah, no.**

 **So you can probably fucking guess who these people are and what they have to do with the story. This is a little dark, but that faith line has a lot more meaning to the story as a whole.** **There are two more multichapter stories, and a shit ton of oneshots and spinoffs planned for this AU, and most of them have to do with the beliefs that many of these people have, but you guys can probably figure out what Arthur means when he says 'only he knows the truth'.**

 **Intermissions are special because they were completely unplanned for this story until I wanted to write from Arthur's point of view. There will be multiple intermissions, and they will probably have the same running trend. Present tense.**

 **But yeah! We're officially getting this show on the road! Don't worry, still a shit ton more filler between our two sea nerds. (I wrote an outline for SOAS and holy shit, this will have more than twenty-two chapters! I didn't even plan that far!)**

 **Anywho, esompthin did not beta this chapter, but you should still check her out, because everything she does is awesome (I'm obsessed with her SPN fics).**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter! And please, tell me what you think :P**


	7. Part Six

**Part Six**

* * *

"That's so… that's so cool!" Leon was so very excited about grass. Emil found it a little humorous, and incredibly adorable, not that he would voice that.

"Like, stuff grows out of your ground? I mean, Francis has talked about seaweed before but that's different." He rambled. Emil never felt a smile come so easily in his life.

"It's that interesting?" He laughed a little, and Leon looked at Emil with disbelief.

"How could you _not_ find it interesting?" His made Emil feel like he was doing something wrong. Why wasn't he cherishing the Earth that he lived on? Why didn't he see how awesome this was?

"Well, because I live there, I suppose." Emil shrugged, "I'm sure you don't find anything down here special."

"Yeah, but that's because I've always been here. Up there, your world is, like, so… _big_. I'm stuck in one place, all the time."

"I lived in a small town my whole life." Emil shrugged, "I can't say I've seen much of the world."

Leon shook his head. "You should. When you get up to the surface, you should totally start exploring the world."

Emil stared at the boy for a minute, before asking, "Leon, if you could go up to the surface, would you?"

"Emil, what was that saying? Ask a stupid question…" Leon looked at Emil with a deadpan expression. Emil's eyes widened in surprise at Leon's blatant acknowledgement of his stupid question.

"Of course I'd go to the surface." Leon shrugged, "What's down here for me? What would be worth enough for me to stay here?"

Emil stared at the boy in the cage with wide violet eyes. A simple 'yes' was the answer he was expecting, but this… this was something new. It took a moment for it all to process within Emil's head.

When it did, he laughed. It was just a chuckle, but it felt so good to be so happy with Leon. It was relief. "You know what?"

"What?"

He stared at the boy in the cage before him. He slipped a hand between the bars, taking one of Leon's hands in his own.

He offered a small, reserved smile to the siren boy. "Someday," He began. He used to hate when other people touched him. With Leon, it was okay. With Leon, he was comfortable. "We'll see the surface together."

Leon stared at Emil for a moment, before pulling his hand back. Emil's gaze lifted to see the siren boy vaguely confused looking, a faint blush coming off his face. It was at that point that Emil regained his sanity.

Leon looked into his lap for a long moment, leaning forward so that his knees were to his chest. He curled up like that. "Sorry," He said after a moment. "Something felt funny." He laughed a bit, and Emil was hit with the most embarrassment he had ever felt in his life.

What was in Leon's lap that could have possibly 'felt funny'? Oh God, Emil needed serious help with this whole 'liking people' thing. Or would that just be a 'liking one person' thing? Because he'd never been comfortable with people as a whole, just Leon, but Leon was a person.

"Still, thank you." Emil was rewarded with a sweet smile that grazed Leon's face, and suddenly he felt better for doing something so cripplingly embarrassing. "You're nice, Emil. Pretty and nice… is there anything wrong with you?"

Emil was about to say something about how he wasn't either of those things around other people, nor was he pretty… ever, and he was going to bring up the whole 'pretty is a girl's word' argument, before they were interrupted by a shout.

"Will you two stop stalling and just _kiss_ already?!" Francis's voice - and intrusive request - interrupted the conversation between the two. Leon, being only vaguely familiar with the term 'kiss' was perfectly unfazed, but Emil was red with embarrassment. As much as he liked Leon, he wasn't sure _what_ he thought about Francis.

Said merman glided over to them, swimming a circle around Leon's cage before taking a seat next to Emil (well not really a seat, more just lying on his stomach), facing Leon with a smile on his face. A very smug smile at that, considering the merman was well aware that Leon didn't know exactly what Francis had meant by that. Just that he had said something to make Emil really, really red.

"Like, hey Francis." Leon grinned.

"Hey." Emil said quietly, giving Francis a bit of a side glare, as if to say 'you know what you did'.

Francis indeed knew what he did, and he returned their greetings with a flip of his blonde hair, and a side wink to Emil. "Why hello. What kind of romantic advances have I interrupted now?"

Emil groaned, and Leon just stared at the two blankly. He looked between his two friends, wondering what he could be missing here. Francis talked about romance and kissing a lot, but he never really explained what those things were to Leon. He just said that it had something to do with 'l'amour' or something along those lines.

Emil realized that it was very hard to read Leon's emotions. His eyes didn't give anything away, unlike Emil's. They weren't as expressive, but that wasn't a bad thing. He quite liked Leon's eyes. They were such a nice shade of brown.

"You two are staring at each other again." Francis chuckled when he noticed Emil returning Leon's gaze, albeit with a less blank reaction. "Ah, young love. So cute."

"Call me cute again and I will castrate you." Emil threatened. It wasn't serious. Emil was like a kitten. He clearly had the intent of sounding like a cold blooded predator, but he was so adorable it was hard to take him seriously.

"You sound like one of my clients. Well, the castrating part. I'd never call them cute." Francis laughed. Emil looked at him with confusion, before turning to Leon, who shrugged.

"Francis has a secret job." That was how Francis had always explained it to him. Apparently Leon wasn't old enough to know what he really did for a living. He wondered when he would be old enough, he was fifteen now. That seemed quite old enough. "He says he does things with other people."

It did not take Emil very long to deduce what Leon could have meant. "Wait, you're a prostitute-"

"Hush," Francis chided, narrowing his blue eyes at Emil before tilting his head in Leon's direction, "There are children here!"

"But Emil's the same age as me…" Leon protested quietly, to no avail.

"We do not wish to taint the beautiful innocence here!" Francis exclaimed, melodrama filling the statement, before he gave a smug smile at Emil. "Of course, I'm sure soon enough you'll do that-"

"I will castrate you!" How one would go about castrating a mermaid was another question, that could be answered at another time.

"By Provoa, you're violent." Francis shook his head. Emil wondered what he meant when he said 'by Provoa'. It was a term that sounded oh so familiar.

"By God, you're annoying." He countered, receiving a chuckle from Francis.

"There's a difference between annoying and helpful." He said with a small shrug, "And besides, my assumption that you would be the one to take Leon's innocence is supported by the fact that 'something felt funny'."

Leon, who had been listening closely, raised an eyebrow at this. Whatever they were talking about, it had to do with what he said earlier. Did that mean something besides what he intended?

He decided not to interrupt the two. He was feeling quite tired anyway. As their conversation continued - Emil getting redder and redder - he began to drift off. He was so sleepy, and he had been feeling a bit uneasy for a bit. It was that sinking feeling that he often got before he had a bad dream, or before those voices came back to him.

"And another thing, you have understood every dirty thing I have said so far. Who is to say that you will not 'accidentally' let something slip and suddenly you have to explain everything we have exchanged thus far to little Leon." Francis said to the boy in front of him, who rolled his violet eyes.

"Who's to say that the same couldn't happen to you?" Emil retorted, turning his gaze to Leon. He gave a soft 'oh' when he noticed that Leon's eyes were closed, and he was laying limply onto the bars of his cage.

"He must have been tired." Francis said, shifting to lean on the bars of Leon's cage. He didn't flinch, not even for a second, like Emil did.

"Yeah, probably." Emil said, doing the same and sitting next to Francis. He flinched a little when the flash of pain hit him. It always did when he leaned on those bars, but it didn't last very long. Francis raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment.

"You do realize that when you do leave, you're going to break his heart, correct?" There was no moment of silence before that statement. Just the simple words in the air. Emil didn't hesitate before shaking his head.

"I'm not leaving without him." He said, and Francis looked at him with disbelief evident on his face. He let out a small breath.

"If that's what you think." Francis moved a hand to ruffle the white-blond hair on Emil's head. Emil grimaced, moving a bit to the side. He never liked when people touched him. Except for Leon, but he was different.

Francis looked amused, and there was a long moment of silence between the two.

"Do you like him?"

* * *

 **-AN-**

 **You know what's better than writing serious chapter? Writing a serious chapter and then following it up with not serious chapters. Leon is still hung up on the fact that grass is a thing and Francis totally ships Leon and Emil. LeEmil...**

 **I'm gonna be honest here, there was no way I was gonna get through this fanfic not making _one_ boner joke. So excuse my terrible sense of humor and maturity of a seven-year-old but... we got boner jokes. :P**

 **Tell me what you think, this chapter was considerably less dark then the last. You know those kids shows that take complete turns from being kids shows and things get really dark and sad? Yeah, we're going Steven Universe and Gravity Falls up in this fic.**

 **I hope you enjoyed! Please let me know what you thought! Also, esompthin beta'd this chapter, and she's still awesome, just saying!**


	8. Part Seven

**Part Seven**

* * *

 _"Do you like him?"_

The question echoed in Emil's head for a moment, and he didn't believe that those words had exited Francis's mouth. In fact, he didn't believe it.

"What?" He looked at Francis, face etched with curiosity.

"Do you like him. It's a simple question, really." Francis shrugged, blinking innocently. Emil sat back in thought. How was he going to avoid answering this?

"What do you mean by that?" He asked, and Francis rolled his blue eyes, clearly getting annoyed with Emil's stalling.

"Oh please, you know what I mean."

That was the extent of Emil's stalling ability. If it had been Lukas, or some other person he was used to speaking to, he could probably go on a bit longer, with stupid questions like 'why do you ask'… actually, that wasn't a bad idea. Emil sometimes had to applaud himself on his own intelligence.

"Why do you ask?" He said, and he could practically feel the idiot vibes hitting Francis. The blonde didn't waver though.

"Curiosity is all. As I've said before, you're going to break his heart, so I might as well learn how you feel about the subject."

"I mean, couldn't you just ask me that instead of going in this weird roundabout way?"

"No, because you're human. _Your_ kind will find any excuse to hide your feelings for anything other than yourselves." Francis sounded harsher, he was clenching his fists. "Of course, that's a common factor in all things. Nobody wants to admit that love is something that exists." He sighed loosening his grip on himself, and Emil stopped him.

"Okay, I am not in _love_ with Leon-"

"Oh please, don't crush my dreams." Francis gave a melodramatic wave. "You may not be _yet_ , but you have to admit, he's growing on you, and in my book, that is a perfect setup for love."

Emil shook his head. "Love isn't a thing… it just… people can't possibly know or understand what _love_ is." Francis looked at him with confusion at first, and then understanding.

"Ah, someone's bitter." He laughed a bit. A sullen, knowing laugh.

There was a pause as Francis seemed to contemplate. After a moment, he spoke again. "You remind me of Vash so much. You don't believe in love, and you're so determined to close your heart off, that you end up falling faster than you think." A melancholic exhale ended the statement. "You and him are idiots, I hope you know that."

"What?" Emil spoke as if he was so very offended.

"I'm just saying, love is more than stupidity. Love is so much more than that. Love is… light. It's the willingness to be with that person through everything."

"Yeah well that's not what love has done in my family." Emil spat bitterly. "Love makes people stupid. It makes people impulsive."

"Is that so?" Francis raised an eyebrow. "Then I suppose that you are a product of impulses?"

Emil froze, and he felt his blood go cold, his heart skipping a few beats out of pure nervousness. Why or why did God or whoever was in that sky above hate him so much? Even when he wasn't with family people knew his family.

"I don't know if you realize this, Emil, but Selka is quite famous. A forbidden love story between a human and a mermaid. We merfolk have quite a thing for tragedy."

"Stop it." He choked on his own words. "How do you even know?"

"You're a human child who can breathe underwater and has white hair, and your name is mentioned in the story quite often." Francis shrugged casually, as if this was perfectly fine.

Another pause, and then Francis spoke again. It was like he was trying to get Emil to think during the silences. "Emil, if you're going to have a thing about love and how it makes everyone stupid, then fine." Francis conceded, "But if you ever imply that your mother was doing everything out of impulse, then you're mistaken."

There was silence, and then Francis continued."I mean, love is the reason you're still breathing."

"I get it. Shut up." Emil groaned. Francis shrugged.

"I'm sorry, you must have had this talk before."

"Loads of times, with my brother. I'd like to avoid the whole 'Selka is perfection in every way' conversation, if possible."

"Well I wouldn't say that. I'm just saying the pot… or the child of the pot, shouldn't call the kettle black." Francis said passively. Emil raised an eyebrow at him.

"How do you know all these human phrases and sayings anyway?" He asked. Francis sighed.

"You with the questions." Emil had to assume that was a joke. "I've traveled quite a bit in my day, and if it weren't for my job now, I'd be quite busy with the whole traveling thing."

"What, your prostitution job?"

"Well that, and another thing, but that doesn't matter right now." Francis shook his head. "Consider the argument we just had before you answer my question, do you like Leon?"

Emil sighed, what was he supposed to do now?

He and Leon were friends, they had established that. He knew so much about Leon though, and Leon knew next to nothing about him. He supposed that when the time was right, he would change that. Right now though, the time wasn't right. Not at all. In all honesty, Emil wasn't ready.

He liked talking to Leon, and he didn't mind holding Leon's hand, or being touched by Leon. There was so much that he overlooked when he was with Leon.

They were friends though, two boys at that. It was okay when Lukas did it. Lukas was already a nonbeliever, was there really anything stopping him? With Emil though… the thought of being the same as Lukas was troubling.

Emil wasn't sure _why_ he found it so unbelievable to have something in common with Lukas. He hadn't exactly left on bad terms with Lukas… well actually he had, but he had yet to piece together exactly why they were on bad terms. It seemed like every day the reason got more and more idiotic.

Matthias was really the whole reason Lukas and Emil hated each other. They hated each other before they met Matthias, but the hate just seemed to grow when Emil met Matthias. For Lukas, well he fell in love, and got impulsive and stupid.

So Emil had a reason to be cautious about love, and that wasn't even getting into the whole 'Leon is a siren' thing.

A siren and a human was just as sick and wrong as a human and a mermaid, but it was worse, because Emil wasn't even human by their standards. He was a freak.

But when he was with Leon, he didn't think of himself as a freak, and he didn't think of Leon as a siren. They weren't different when they were together. He thought of the two of them as… friends. Better friends than some of the people Emil had on land.

He didn't see what other people must have seen when he looked at Leon. He saw a boy, a boy his age with good conversational skills and unconditional patience.

He wondered what Leon saw when he looked at Emil. Did he see a freak, like Emil saw himself, or did he see an equal?

Emil had a hard time believing the latter, even though he knew it to be true. Leon was simply too… nice. He was too nice, and he saw Emil as someone so great, and yet Emil was just a regular - if not freakish - person.

He sighed, opening his mouth again, "I don't… I don't know, okay?"

Francis gave him an understanding look, and the smile that grazed his face was so knowing. "You will, soon enough." He sighed, "But do me a favor, and don't be Vash. Don't give the poor boy hope and then take it away."

Emil studied Francis's face. "Who's Vash?"

There was a moment of sharp silence. "An old friend. Someone who is… _was_ very special to me." Francis said, finally. "He was so much like you… or, you're like him. He didn't believe in love, and he kept leading me on like this… I couldn't do it anymore."

"…I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. Just don't rush into things, and don't push things away either." Francis advised, blue eyes meeting Emil's violet ones. "Just… let things happen." Emil swallowed a breath, sighing to himself.

"Yeah… I'll do that."

"Good." Francis smiled, before yawning loudly. The two of them looked up to see the darkness and the moon reflecting off the water. It was a full moon tonight. Lukas must be rolling in his grave, or whatever it is he would be rolling in. Full moons were supposed to be a good sign for paranormal sightings. "I suppose I should go now. I've got a full night of work tomorrow."

Emil shifted uncomfortably. "All right."

"Try not to get too far with Leon while I'm not here, okay? I want to see it all first hand!" He laughed, rising and ruffling Emil's blonde hair (which Emil did not appreciate, but he didn't argue this time) before swimming off. He waved to Emil, "Good night!"

"Night…" Emil waved back, he didn't smile, but he felt… content. Happy, maybe.

He still hated love. He hated the idea of it and he hated the idea of being caught in that saccharine death-trap, but he hated it a little less now. Yeah, he didn't mind it so much.

Leon was… special. Different.

So Emil didn't mind so much, but he wasn't okay with it. He was… letting things happen. That was a good way to put it.

Sleep was sweet release, or at least it was for Emil. Leon was going through hell.

* * *

 **-AN-**

 **Huge shipping fest, honest to God. This chapter is all about love - and a little insight to Francis and Emil's characters - but mostly love.**

 **Also, I finished season one of Supernatural, and all I can say is... season eleven is coming out in october and I want to finish _everything_ by then so that I can be cool and watch all the episodes when they air. Needless to say, I will probably be unsuccessful, because I have watched up to episode two of season two. Wish me luck though!**

 **I began writing Sanctum for the Wicked (Four word titles are ending there, I promise) and it is up on my stories as a companion piece to this, although I would say that if you want absolutely _no_ spoilers for SOAS, than you should probably read Sanctum (SFTW?) _after_ SOAS is finished (Which won't be for a quite a bit)**

 **And finally, we recently reached ten thousand words, eight chapters, and twenty reviews, and I have bragged to all my friends and family that my lame hobby is getting so fleshed out, and thank you guys for your support and awesomeness, because I really do enjoy writing SOAS, and it makes me happy to see people enjoying reading it as well :)**

 **But that is all, and tell me what you think about this chapter, if you so please :)**


	9. Part Eight

**Part Eight**

* * *

 _"Would you like some tea?"_

* * *

Hungry. Leon was so hungry.

It was peculiar, because he had never felt hungry before, not in a literal sense. Just a day ago, he wouldn't be able to imagine what hunger must be like, and it was still such a hard thing to think about, because now he knew.

It was _awful_. Leon had felt worse pain in his life, but at that moment, he couldn't imagine anything that would make this more intolerable.

It felt like there was a pit in his stomach. An awful, empty pit that needed to be filled. Leon had never eaten before. He didn't know what it was like. He didn't know that hunger felt this bad.

* * *

" _It's impolite to leave a lady waiting, Leon."_

" _I'm sorry. I don't eat…"_

" _Don't, or haven't? There is a difference. We simply_ must _work on your vocabulary." The voices were getting clearer._ _One of them was Leon's, and the other was unfamiliar. It was different, but welcoming. It was crisp and clear and refined._

* * *

The water was still dark blue, and Leon could barely see. Everything was blurred and impossible to make out. Eventually, he grew tired and frustrated, and he closed his eyes. The dark was better. Not by much, though.

He tried to think of what he could do. There was still that wretched growling coming from his stomach, and he could think of nothing that would stop the godforsaken whining. He bit his lip, really trying to come up with any idea that might help him. Leon had never been known for good ideas.

Or any ideas. His life was rather simplistic, after all. That is until this business had become a part of it. Now, he wasn't sure if it would be so simple. Didn't people die from hunger?

Leon couldn't, though. He had never eaten, and he was still alive, so starvation wasn't an option for him. Though, as much sense as that made, it was a little hard for him to tell if that was in fact _good_ news.

Would he have to deal with this awful pit in his stomach without any chance of getting rid of it? He supposed that Emil could help him, but he didn't even know what Emil ate, and Leon wasn't especially smart, but he had a feeling that retrieving food from inside a cage was a lot more difficult than retrieving it from outside, as Emil did.

Oh God, what if Leon never got out? He had considered the possibility, but that was before he knew what it was like to be hungry. How would he deal with that, if all he could do was stay here, in his cage.

* * *

" _I mean, I don't even, like, know who you are." Leon shook his head, and the lady placed her teacup down on the table between them. Her jade eyes were saucers on her face, as if she was horrified at the idea of not being completely polite._

" _How terribly rude of me. You may call me Albion, and I already know who you are." She said, quickly regaining her composure. "In fact, I know a lot about you, but we will discuss that when you drink your tea. I fully expect you to dine, Leon." He wasn't sure how he felt about her using his name._

 _There was a moment of passing silence as Leon narrowed his dark eyes at her. She didn't flinch or even look the wrong way under his gaze. Slowly, he sat back in his chair, deciding that he trusted her._

" _Like, okay." He said, eyeing her carefully. He leaned forward, his elbows pressed down on the table as he lifted the cup with both hands. He couldn't hold it by one handle like she did. He felt like he would spill it._

" _Don't put your elbows on the table." She practically hissed, and Leon looked up to see the annoyance and same horror at being impolite on her face. "Please."_

" _Why not?" Leon asked, not really understanding._

" _It's not polite. I understand that you weren't raised under ideal circumstance, but honestly, some things should be instinctive to any kin of mine."_

" _What?"_

" _Never mind. Just drink it properly."_

* * *

Leon couldn't sleep. He couldn't possibly go back to sleep when he was in such immense pain. He couldn't even comprehend how humans could go to sleep like this. Wasn't that an expression, going to sleep hungry? Or did Francis give him false information? Either way, Leon could not sleep. Not like this.

He closed his eyes and found himself opening them again, before being greeted with the blurred vision brought onto him by so much hunger and pain. He clutched his stomach. He almost believed that he might cry out from the pain, but that was impossible. He had grown accustomed to the searing burn of the bars, so why would hunger be the thing to break him?

Well, it had gotten him to fetal position, so that was a start.

Was Emil hungry a lot? Oh God, Leon hoped that Emil didn't get hungry too often. Sometimes it occurred to Leon that he got a bit too concerned over Emil. Was that a bad thing? He didn't think it was a bad thing. After all, Leon and Emil were friends.

Of course, in the wake of pain and hunger and frustration, Emil became a lot less important. Only for now, though. Leon's intentions most definitely included getting help from Emil, somehow.

He groaned, opening his eyes once again. He realized with panic that everything was a bit dimmer, before feeling a bit stupid when he realized that it was simply his hair hanging in his face. He slowly brought a hand from his stomach to his forehead to move the rebellious tresses. He felt as if he'd been spinning for a long, long time. Was hunger supposed to make him dizzy?

Did Leon have to pray to make this stop? Who would he pray to? God? Provoa? Emil prayed to God, but Francis prayed to Provoa. Who was he supposed to go to? All this god stuff got confusing after some careful thought. Francis had once said that there were several gods that the mermaids believed in. Leon wasn't sure he believed in any.

His thoughts drifted, and Leon was happy to have a distraction, that was until he heard another growl and felt the ache of his stomach once again.

He tried to think of things that usually distracted him. Emil came up more than a few times, but it wasn't enough. He tried to think of things that confused him, like the human calendar (which Francis and Emil had both tried to explain to him, on separate occasions, before giving up.) or the 'l'amour' thing Francis was always talking about. Nothing worked.

* * *

" _You see, angel blood is natural medicine. A quick drink of it, and you'll never be the same." She smiled with invitation, and before Leon could even process it, her wrists were all cut up and she was bleeding. Leon didn't know if he should be sickened or fascinated, though he was leaning more towards the latter. "It heals old scars, even prevents new ones. You even have some of it in your veins."_

" _Really?" Leon looked at her with wide and inquisitive brown eyes, before his gaze caught onto her bleeding hand. Slowly, she pulled the teacup, which she had been drinking from just moments before, toward her and held her hand over it._

" _Of course, you are half angel, after all." She stated matter-of-factly. "It's the siren part of you that makes it a bit dulled. You heal, but you still scar. If you were fully angel, that wouldn't happen." Leon wasn't sure if he should be offended or not, she said it so nicely. As if it were simply a fact that he was born wrong, and really, it was. She continued on._

" _Now normally, I like to be a bit cleaner when I work with blood and such, but desperate times." She sighed as she watched small droplets of blood fall onto the table, before disappearing almost instantly. Leon watched as most of it moved like a waterfall into the small, white cup, staining it red._

 _"Like, yeah. Cool." Leon wasn't really listening, instead he simply watched, as if entranced. He felt his tongue drag over his teeth, careful not to cut himself on the sharp ones._

 _She continued until the cut stopped bleeding, before pulling her hand back and holding it to her mouth for a quick moment. She held her other hand out to receive a napkin from what seemed like thin air. She wiped her mouth, before pushing the cup to Leon's side of the table._

 _"Indulge yourself, please. I'm doing this all for you. Well, for a few others and myself, too, but that really isn't the point." She grinned, and her affable demeanor never subsided as she watched Leon curiously pick up the teacup, holding it with both hand.. "You remind me so, so much of Arthur. Far less irritating and much less educated, but still, so much like him."_

 _The name sounded familiar, but Leon didn't bother to dig through his memories to find something. It was like he knew he would find nothing. He held the cup to his mouth, before tilting it and drinking the red liquid. It was strange, and it wasn't sweet, but Leon almost thought of it that way. Sweet and warm, and Leon wasn't sure eating, or drinking, or whatever, could be this nice._

 _"Who knew you would be so much like your father?"_

 _Leon looked up at her, and she shook her head. "We'll discuss more of it later, right now, I just want you to be calm."_

 _He raised an eyebrow, opening his mouth to say something, before closing it, because no words came out. She slowly leaned over the table, placing a hand on Leon's cheek. "You're so hungry Leon, and you don't even know it." She sighed, "Hunger is insanely humane, and you know what we do Leon? We associate it with food. Hunger is so much more than that. You've been hungry for so long, and recently, you've hungered so much for freedom, for a life on the outside. All because of a liar, you've been hungry."_

 _"And now you'll be hungry for food."_

* * *

And Leon woke up, and he remembered nothing but a simple, confusing dream.

* * *

 **-AN-**

 **I've been listening to Florence + the Machine songs for the entirety of writing this someone help me why is this music so beautiful.**

 **Well anywho I hope you enjoyed the chapter, I am now going to drown myself in Nicole Dollanganger's new album. (On an unrelated side note, why are all the great albums coming out lately? Something about 2015.)**


	10. Part Nine

**Part Nine**

* * *

 _"I belong to the ground now, I want no more than this."_

* * *

The merfolk were a strange and reserved species.

They were blessed with the magic and sentient thought. Many creatures suspected something more sinister, but for as long as everyone could remember, that was how it had always been.

It was said that humans were the base for all other deviations. They were plain and simple. Made without magic or other traits that claimed superiority. Humans were prey, but they were pure.

That was what Selka was taught as a child. That humans - although they were simple, hateful, _squishy_ creatures - were pure.

Sirens were frowned upon by mermaids. Not just because they were lewd creatures that thought only about themselves, but because they harmed humanity. They broke and fed on the hearts of those willing to give them away. They were cruel.

Selka remembered hearing the story - the one that all merfolk are told - about the good queen Provoa, who was powerful enough to create another creature by accident.

The songstress, Novak, was different from her sister in all ways possible. She was a temptress, made to drag others down with her. She founded a kingdom on deprivation and hedonism. She was everything Provoa was not.

Selka remembered hearing the story and feeling bad for Novak. After all, she was treated rather unfairly. Still, Selka was a Daughter of Provoa. That mentality was undesirable, especially from a white.

Selka was the only white in her convent. She was prized amongst the others, because usually, it was nobility that was blessed with a color.

A color was reserved for those who were special. The queens both had colors (although many had yet to discover what Novak bled and breathed. Many suspected black, to contrast with her sister. Selka didn't agree.) and when they had children, those children would be born colored.

There were rumors of a colored siren, created by Novak, but it had never been proven true. Selka, so far, was one of the few colored mermaids who were not in direct contact with Provoa.

The others was her father, who she had yet to meet. It had been said that the Daughters of Provoa made a vow of chastity, but when the time came for heirs, there were a few mermaids were chosen to carry out the deed.

Her mother was never referred to as her mother, but rather as Lady Freyja. She was a bitter, sunken-faced woman who lived without color. She never acknowledged the fact that she was Selka's mother. Nobody did. Though she did resemble the daughter that she never spoke of.

Lady Freyja was endowed with sharp features and messy black hair that she wore in a tight bun at the back of her head. Her eyes were a dark brown.

Selka looked much the same, with few differences. A softer face and an aura of youth. Her eyes were different as well. They were bright violet. They were said to resemble those of her father, an apparent noble. She had yet to meet him, and she doubted that she ever would.

Selka was often thought to be beautiful. She didn't tie the ebony waves back like Lady Freyja did. She let them fall well past her shoulders, to the middle of her back. Her skin, which was warm and freckled, glowed with life, and some thought that was the effect of her color. White has the tendency to make one seem… _brighter._

Provoa was a white. Selka often held that fact with pride. She shared the same color as the queen she worshipped.

Selka was born into the Daughters of Provoa. She was raised alongside her sisters. She even saw the smaller, newer children come into existence. She was raised on her beliefs. She had known nothing else.

It wasn't until she was older that she learned of soulmates.

Merfolk destined to be with people like her. People with color. They were a blessing, something special only for those like her.

" _A myth. That's what soulmates are."_ An older sister by the name of Sarah had once said to her. _"Besides, Selka, you are a Daughter of Provoa. You've no time for silly stories. Even if there were such a thing, we take a vow of chastity."_

She had asked her sister that night because she had been sitting with others, listening to the stories they told. The word, 'soulmates' was mentioned, and Selka could never get it out of her head. Sarah had provided a self-assured answer, and for the longest time, Selka believed her.

A while later, she met the human boy.

The human boy made Selka feel things that she'd never felt before. Powerful, solid feelings. She felt drawn to him, as if he were a God of his own.

She had been at the docks because of a mission. She had to find a sister who had run off, and guide her back to the light. Selka had no idea what her sister's punishment would be. She had to trust that it would be fitting. She didn't know why that was so hard.

When she saw the human boy, her heart was no longer set on her mission. It was set on the boy in front of her, with the pale skin and the white hair.

She learned a lot about him just by _watching_ him. He was always at the pier, sitting over the edge and reading something. Selka had read quite a few things in her time of living, but she'd never seen someone read so intently.

He didn't seem to want to be disturbed, and Selka was content with just observing him. He was a human. A strange, alien creature that she had yet to understand, and yet he was more fascinating than others of his kind.

She devoted much of her free time to watching him. The mission had long been finished. Someone had carried it out for her, and had returned with their sister, Gisela. She had returned, submissive and quieted, seemingly accepting the fact that she could not leave.

Gisela had been born into the Daughters of Provoa, much like Selka. Gisela and Selka used to socialize quite a bit, and they were even connected for a while. It was broken when Gisela left. Selka didn't remember ever being in so much pain as she was when Gisela broke their connection.

Gisela was a purple. She wasn't like Selka. She wasn't praised for her difference. She was more ignored. If your color wasn't extraordinary, then why should it even be noticed?

Gisela's mother had been Lady Filippa. One of the leaders of the convent. Selka remembered that, because it seemed important. She didn't know why, but it did. Somehow, it was harder to trust her sisters now that they had done so many things that seemed… suspicious.

Now that the mission was over, Selka had a harder time getting around without the excuse of it. She took to sneaking out late, since the boy was rarely at the pier in the daytime, and he seemed fond of the night as well.

There was one day when she got too close, and he looked at her. The made eye contact for a few long, agonizing seconds, before Selka smoked out. She ducked under the water, and he only saw a flash of her bright blue fins sinking down.

She was frightened, anxious.

But she was happy that he saw her.

There was essence that began to gather around her, pouring from her because of the rush of emotions. The rush and positivity. The wispy semi-liquid glowed in the darkness, illuminating the space around her.

She swam home as fast as she could.

* * *

It was a few weeks before Selka decided that she would return to see the boy. By then, Gisela had returned to the sisterhood.

She was… different, to say the least. Her body shook when a hand was raised, and her voice was quieted in a way that made her seem consistently nervous. She didn't look at Selka. Ever.

Selka missed her friend.

"My soulmate… I met him." Gisela whispered, her hands on Selka's shoulders. They were by the entrance of the building, and Selka was going to see the boy. "They were a Novakian… a merrow."

Merrows. Crosses between sirens and mermaids. They weren't exactly uncommon, but they weren't respected like regular mermaids.

"Gisela, soulmates are a myth." Selka said, and the tanned girl laughed, holding onto Selka's hands tighter, her blue eyes now concentrated on the floor.

"They tell you that, but that's because they don't have them." Gisela's smile wasn't self-assured like it used to be. It was small and nervous. "Finnick is… they're my soulmate. I know that they are. Our colors went together."

"He had a color, too?" Selka looked up at Gisela with wide eyes. Her human couldn't have a color, so he couldn't be her soulmate. Wasn't that how it worked?

"Yes, but they didn't have to have it for me to know." She said, "Even before we spoke, I felt things. Our colors just confirmed it." She paused, before smiling at Selka. It was a bright smile, much more like the ones she used to have. "They're a yellow, Sel. We're a purple and a yellow."

Selka cleared her throat, moving back. "I don't see what this has to do with me…" She started, before Gisela offered a knowing glance.

"It takes one to know one, Selka. I'm gonna protect you, okay?" She glided forward just a bit, wrapping her arms around Selka. "No matter what they say, I'm gonna talk to you. I'm gonna help."

Selka paused for a moment, shocked at the sudden hug. This wasn't the fidgety, tense Gisela that had been here before. This was regular Gisela. They were so different.

' _What must they have done?'_ She thought, _'To change her so much.'_

"Your soulmate. It'll be different for you, maybe." Gisela continued, pulling back. Selka took a moment to analyze her.

Gisela was taller, with tanned skin and a light pink tail that had a few misplaced white scales. Her eyes, which were blue, like her mother's, had pink skin around them. It wasn't surrounding them like a ring, but it more complimented them. Discolored skin was a rare deformity for mermaids. Selka found it quite pretty.

Her hair was neatly fastened into a braid which hung down to her shoulders. It was dark brown. She was interesting looking, and Selka wondered what her father must have looked like to create such a myriad of color in one person.

"Okay." Selka said, smiling back, for once.

* * *

The human boy was waiting for her, by the pier. He noticed her right away. He didn't have a book today.

She peeked her head over the water. She was closer than she'd ever been before. She was right below him, staring up at his face. His eyes, which were the bluest she had ever seen, widened with surprise.

"A naiad?" He whispered quietly. Selka shook her head.

"Mermaid." She corrected, "Naiads are connected to lakes and rivers and ponds, unless they are unchained, but we are nowhere near Novak, and naiads do not have tails."

The boy simply stared at her for a moment. "An essence-barer, then." He said, and Selka shrugged.

"If that is to your liking." She said, before smiling just a bit. She was always cheerful in the face of socialization. "I take it you don't know how to react?"

"I don't." He said, "I feel… not repulsed. Almost curious."

"The feeling's mutual." Selka grinned, "I am Selka of the Daughters of Provoa, and you are?" She introduced herself. The boy hesitated, before holding out his hand.

"Adrian Steilsson." He said, looking down at his hand. Selka stared at it for a moment. "You're supposed to shake it, or is that just a human custom?"

"I believe it is a human custom. There is not much physical touching between strangers in Provoa." Selka said, before lifting a hand from under the water. She was deep enough for her gills to be beneath the water, allowing her to breathe. She placed her hand in his.

The color seemed to fill her whole body. An explosion of white in her head. She needed to calm down for a moment. She'd never felt something like that before.

She pulled her hand back, looking at him. This was her soulmate. A human. Gisela had a Novakian. She didn't know which was worse in the ideas of the sisterhood.

"How old are you, Selka? May I call you Selka?" Adrian said after a moment.

"You may." She permitted, shrugging "I am an eighteenth year, and you?" She asked. He seemed to think about that for a moment.

"You're younger than me. I'm twenty-three." He said. Selka tilted her head curiously.

"Then you are well past the age of bonding, and childbearing. We of the sisterhood do not practice such things, but it is mermaid tradition. Most eighteenth years are courted." She said curiously. If this boy were already taken, how would he be her soulmate?

"Well, I suppose you could say that I'm bonded. Separated at the moment, though.." He said, holding out his left hand and showing her a silver ring. "And I've got a son. His name's Lukas. His last name is Bondevik, though. He took his mother's name, because he'll be living with her when we're… divorced." He shook his head, before looking at her critically. "Sorry, I don't know why I'm telling you all this."

Selka smiled, "Would it be completely insane if I told you that we were soulmates?" She laughed. He shrugged.

"I've heard stranger." He said, "It's odd, though. I don't have any idea why I'm so drawn to you. I feel at ease, speaking to you, though I've never known you before."

"I'm still getting over, 'I've heard stranger'." She laughed. "What stranger thing could you possibly have heard? I've just told you that we're soulmates."

"Well, I did dabble in sailing a while ago. So, you know. Sea creatures and such." He shrugged. "And I've heard a few things I've never heard before during this conversation. Soulmates, Novak, 'Daughters of Provoa.'"

They spoke for a long time, and Selka didn't remember having such an amazing conversation before. By the end, she noticed that the sun was barely peeking over the horizon.

She said goodbye to him, before rushing off. She had very little time to get to the convent. If she left any later, a sister might have seen her.

* * *

Selka was in Novak. It had been months after she'd met Adrian, and after the night before…

She needed out. Out of the sisterhood, out of Provoa. She needed freedom, and she understood what Gisela did better than ever, now.

"So I hear that you're on the run, little mermaid?" Novak smiled down at Selka. Her teeth were visible. Selka shivered when she saw the two sharp, fang-like teeth between her normal ones.

"Y-yes ma'am…" Selka whispered, stuttering and shaking. She'd never been in the presence of someone so… powerful. Novak was taller than her, with pale skin and short black hair. Between strands of black hair, there were blonde strands, as if replicating Provoa.

From this close, Selka could feel Novak's color. Grey. Selka had heard about the fabled black being Novak's color, but she learned that grey was a thousand times more threatening. It wasn't completely corrupted, but it was impure. Novak was holding it all in, but she could probably do terrifying things with all that power.

"Well, as you know, I am very against the Sisters of Provoa. They took one of my citizens soulmates away, you know." She sighed, "But disbanding a cult takes time, and effort."

"Cult?" Selka whispered, looking up at Novak with wide eyes.

Novak looked down at her with indifference. Selka noticed that her eyes were the oddest shade of ruby. Almost red, and almost purple. In between.

"The Sisters of Provoa are a cult. They brainwash you from birth, and they're not known for their kindness." Novak shrugged, "Honestly, I'm not sure why my sister can't control her citizens. I always get the short end of the stick."

Selka blinked up at her with confusion.

"You know, for someone with a human soulmate, you've got a long way to go with understanding human expressions. I haven't had a meal in a few years, and I know more about humans. Although maybe I owe a bit to Midas…" She trailed off, before regaining her composure. "Oh, sorry, deals to make, other subjects on my mind."

Novak rolled her eyes, before holding a hand out and tipping Selka's chin up. "I'll make a deal with you. Tell me where the sisters are, and I'll protect you. Forever. And I'll also free the tanned one, with the deformity. She and Finnick work well together."

It took Selka less than a minute to agree. She hated the sisterhood. She loved Adrian. She loved Lukas. She loved the humans.

She was less than dirt to the mermaids.

* * *

 _Selka smiled as she stared down at the child. Adrian kneeled, peering over her shoulder beside her. She was submerged in the water by the shore, and he allowed her to hold the child._

 _Emil was pale, and he looked a lot like his father. He had pale skin and blonde hair that was almost white. His eyes, however, were the colors of amethysts, like his mother's._

 _Lukas sat on the sand, his feet dipping halfway into the water. Selka had grown quite fond of her stepson. He pretty much considered her his mother._

" _He's beautiful." She smiled, pressing a kiss to his forehead. Emil and Lukas looked quite similar, but Lukas had blue eyes. The same ones as his father._

 _"Isn't he, though?" Adrian grinned, "I hope he grows to be as wonderful as his mother." He pressed his lips to her cheek. She giggled._

" _I hope…" Selka started, before shaking her head. "Nevermind. It's more of a private thing. I do hope he gains your intelligence, though."_

 _Lukas looked at her curiously, and Adrian seemed to dismiss it immediately. Lukas, however, watched as Selka leaned her head forward, whispering something that he couldn't hear._

 _Selka smiled. "I hope that someday, you have a soulmate as wonderful as mine." She whispered, "I think you deserve that much, don't you agree, Emil?"_

 _Emil was a blue. He was less than Selka to the mermaids._

* * *

 _"No use wishing on the water._

 _It grants you no relief."_

* * *

 **-AN-**

 **Most (all) of the aforementioned characters in this part are OC's (Finnick is nonbinary, by the way. Which is why the 'they/them' pronouns are used).**

 **This AU is crazy, yo. Still, enjoy the chapter. Tell me what you think. This was... considerably longer than most of this chapters in this story (like three times the length of the usual chapters) so it may be a bit more to read. I hope that's a good thing? Maybe?**


	11. Part Ten

**Part Ten**

* * *

 _"_ _And it's peaceful in the deep, cathedral where you cannot breathe_

 _No need to pray, no need to speak."_

* * *

The sirens might have been closer as a family then the mermaids, if not for the fact that they absolutely despised each and every supposed family member.

Sirens were deceptive, horrible, covetous monsters. Humans blamed them, and mermaids feared them, and sirens wished they could be as far as possible from other sirens.

Humans were their food, which according to the mermaids, was _so_ horrible. Yes. How horrible. The sirens were providing a simple, clean method of getting rid of the most destructive, plentiful creatures on this Earth. What a crime.

Of course, they weren't the only monsters that preyed on humans, nor were they the first. Some harpies indulged themselves when they were tired of being scavengers, and werewolves weren't likely to ever give up their ways. Sirens were simply taking advantage of a resource that was seemingly endless as it was.

Humans thrived, for some odd reason. Despite their sensitivity and misinformed faith and all the countless things going against them, they continued to live. Meanwhile, harpies were pretty much endangered. So if there was a God, he was clearly biased towards the humans, or maybe he just really hated harpies.

How great was it then, that sirens didn't believe in that kind of thing. The humans may have had their faith to keep them going, but the sirens had Novak, the queen. The first siren known and, for all they knew, the thing that was keeping them alive.

All mermaids had was doubt. Nobody knew how Provoa started, whether there was a divinity finer than her or someone who created her. Sirens, on the other hand, didn't care.

Well, it wasn't that they didn't care. Some asked questions, but for the most part, they didn't see the point in wondering past what they could see. They were monsters that fed on humans, and if they weren't eating, there was a fair bit of sex in that history. Sirens didn't have faith wars or disagreements, which was more than one could say for the mermaids or the humans.

Of course, Chun Yan had little room to make for faith. Even when she met the angel. Which angel? Amongst the many of them, Chun Yan met Arthur.

Arthur was - is, will be - many things. If Chun Yan were to say anything about him, it would be that he led her around. Invisible strings and all that. He was a light where there were none, and a place where she could go to assure herself that she wasn't alone.

But she didn't love him.

* * *

Chun Yan met Arthur when he was on a mission. Some holy, noble thing about killing abominations and other unbelievable statements that he told her. She stayed in the water. He stayed on the land.

She didn't believe he was an angel. She saw his wings, she saw his years - the tiredness in his eyes, like the rings in an aged tree - but she didn't think he was an angel. She didn't see any light. She didn't have a religious epiphany and know the truth right then.

He stood on the ground, staring at her like she was the oddest thing he'd seen in his life. She opened her mouth, before closing it, and gesturing at her back, referring to his wings. It took him a moment to understand what she meant. They folded closer to his back.

"What are you?" She asked, her hands on the grass, and the rest of her in the water. He raised an eyebrow, and she clarified. "I mean, the only thing you really hear about things like you are angels and cupids and all of that nonsense. So, what are _you._ "

He rolled his eyes, "It's really none of your concern." He said. He had a whole camp set out for himself. There were books and a tent and clothes.

She looked at him oddly, before sinking back under the water. She'd heard tales about them, angels. They weren't real, though. No one had ever said the stories as if they were true. The humans talked about them as some fantastical, wonderful thing, but they were just legends.

Legends, is what angels were.

* * *

She came back the next day. She stayed in the river. He stayed on the grass.

For a while, he had been on his grass, reading his books. He didn't seem to care about Chun Yan, watching him. Eventually, it must have grated on his nerves, or gained his attention. Either way, he took the chance to speak to her, this time.

"You're a siren." He said. He was younger then. He was so curious about everything. Everything needed an answer when he was around. It was frustrating to Chun Yan. Why did he need that? Some things just… _were._ "Heretics, aren't they?"

She raised an eyebrow at that, "We don't believe in a god, if that's what you're asking." She shrugged, "At least, collectively, we don't. Some might think there's something past our existence."

"Do you think so?" He asked, and she shrugged.

"I think that if there is something, I couldn't give less of a shit." She said. "You're alive. You're going to die. There's either nothing or nothing that we're supposed to know about right now. Questioning it is stupid."

Arthur tilted his head, "That's odd." He said, "Most people would change their minds in the face of… well, most people would have more faith."

"Well, most people are also humans. Need I remind you, they're weak minded." Chun Yan lifted a foot from the water, staring in front of herself, bored. "Under this delusion that everything that kills them is wicked and everything that tricks them is holy." She looked at him.

He was silent for a long moment, before asking her, "What's your name?"

"Chun Yan." She said, "Just Chun Yan. I know that some creatures have second names. Sirens don't, I have to clarify it sometimes."

"A pleasure." He said, reaching a hand out towards her. She placed her hand in his. He gripped it for a moment, then let it go. Greetings, especially with humans - or whatever he was - were always odd. "I'm Arthur. Just Arthur."

For the first time, she saw him smile.

* * *

"Can sirens live on land?" Arthur asked her, and she nodded.

"For a very long time, as long as water is readily available, and food is dealt with." She explained, before turning to him. "Why?"

"Because you always stay in the water when we talk." He shrugged, "I don't really understand that."

"Maybe looking at you makes me sick. I have to keep my distance." She laughed to herself, before standing up and stretching. "All right, let's talk on land. With your filthy sun and your filthy grass."

He stared at her, and she brushed it off. It wasn't anything she wasn't used to. Humans and creatures like him were alike, it seemed.

He cleared his throat as she climbed onto the land, taking a seat on the grass. "Technically, the land isn't any more familiar to me than it is to you."

"Really?" She smiled, "Explain to me how you feel on land." She leaned forward, her elbows resting on her legs. "How I _long_ to hear you tell me what's wrong with my view." She teased. He rolled his eyes.

"Like I'm in the wrong place. Like I'm meant to be elsewhere." He shrugged.

"Well I feel fine." She said, "The water, for me, is home, but the land is like a vacation home. I feel like I'm somewhere different, but I don't care."

"Hm." He hummed, understanding. He was quiet for a moment, before speaking again. "You're interesting, do you know that, Chun Yan?"

"Not really. Sirens are everywhere." She laughed. "If you wanted something interesting, you'd talk to something less plentiful."

"No, but you're interesting in a way beyond your species." He mused quietly, looking down at the ground. Chun Yan observed him. He was so uneasy when he spoke, sometimes.

"So, are you a crossbreed, then? A harpy and a human got a little messy?" She smiled, changing the subject. He made a dramatic expression of disgust.

"Can you imagine that?" He asked, laughing.

* * *

She was the first to bring up the question.

"Are we friends?"

It hung in the air, unsteady. As if the idea was so foreign. He thought about it for a long moment, before opening his mouth.

"Yes." He said, "Yes, I think we are."

She felt the same.

* * *

"Why do you keep coming here?" Arthur asked, and Chun Yan shrugged.

"It's nice, being here with you. You make me happy." She said bluntly. She wasn't ever one for being coy. "I like being friends with you."

"Hm." He hummed, "That's… honest."

"Why do you keep coming here?" She asked, and he looked at her, surprised. His green eyes were wide. "I assume you have something better to do than spend your time on land, speaking with _lecherous sirens._ " She said it in the same melodramatic way that humans said it when they wanted to make a point.

He cleared his throat. "Well, I don't really think I have much better to do." He said, "There's not much for me, where I come from."

"Usually, when people say that, it's because they're hiding something." She cut him off. He looked at her for a long moment.

"Well, it's not really a matter of wanting to go or not. I just… I prefer being here. There is… well, my family's there and down here is you. It's sort of an easy choice."

"Is something wrong with your family?" She asked. He sighed.

"Yes, Chun Yan. There is." He finally settled on that answer. She smiled. She knew that feeling.

"Well then, there's another thing we have in common."

"Annoying, dysfunctional families?" Arthur raised an eyebrow, "Because that's quite an accurate way to describe it."

She laughed, "You talk weirdly. I don't know if anyone's ever told you that." He looked at her with confusion.

"You mean I have a decent vocabulary and I _a-nun-ci-ate,_ because if that's wrong, then I don't know what could possibly be right."

They were _good_ friends.

* * *

There was pushing, and screaming, and fighting. There was shouting, because sirens could be silver-tongued creatures, but they could also release venom from their mouths. Hatred that had been bottled up for as long as they'd been forced together.

Chun Yan was never one for kind words.

* * *

Neith watched as Chun Yan left, Anthemusa fuming as she stormed back into the kitchen, to scrape more off of that meal.

Neith knew better than anyone else.

She kept silent. She watched. She listened. She knew.

Angels were bad news. She should have warned Chun Yan. She should have tried to take back that chance she had to save Alcmene.

Instead she took another sip of wine, frowning. She hated these motels. She hated the land. All the bad quality things were on land.

She should have helped. She didn't.

* * *

For a while, she didn't know where she was going.

She ended up back there. Where he was. It was night time, this time. He was still awake, a fire in the center of his camp. He turned his head towards her when she stepped out of the water, taking a seat on the ground.

"Well, it's late." He said, looking at her with surprise. "What brings you here?"

"Family." She shrugged, "My family, specifically."

"Yes, because I was just going to assume that it was some _other_ family that you knew." He said, before moving closer to her. "What happened?"

"Nothing much, except I think I offended my oldest sister. More than usual, I mean." She laughed bitterly. He placed his hand on her cheek. This was the first time he'd touched her anymore other than her hand. It was… different.

"I know how that feels." He said, "Except, replace sister with mother, or maybe 'brothers'. I seem to have that effect on people, offending them."

"You're very offensive." She laughed, moving her gaze from the ground to his eyes. "I mean, just looking at you, I'm getting a bit touched."

"Touched in the emotional way or touched in the angry way?" He asked, amusement in his eyes and on his face, "Because I've been subject to both, and I can't really tell the difference at this point."

"A little bit of both." She said. She talked to him like she talked to humans, except… different. This wasn't a ploy just to get a cheap meal. This was something different. "You evoke a lot of emotions." She said. He looked down at her. She felt the tension in the air, she felt the breeze pass them, and she felt his lips on her own.

She felt his hand slip away from her chin, and she felt him pull away from her. He shook his head, staring at her pitifully.

"I shouldn't." He said quietly, "It's wrong. It's a sin, and that doesn't matter but… it's… I'm sorry, Chun Yan." He said, and he looked down, away from her.

She moved forward, her arms draped around his shoulders. She kissed him again, and he kissed her back. She felt his hands move on her skin.

"I'm a siren," She let out a breath when they pulled apart, "I don't care about right and wrong."

He laughed a little at that, "I wish I could say that I didn't admire that."

Kiss. Breath. Touch. Relief.

* * *

Their friendship was like this, for a long while.

There were flirtations, and kisses exchanged, and long talks about everything. There was relief, and peace when they were with each other.

He would run hands through her dark hair, and she would stare into those emerald eyes and wonder how one hide age so well. She never pried, though. She never wished to ruin what was fine.

Intimacy was… different. It was different, being with Arthur.

She remembered having her head on his chest. She remembered not hearing anything. No familiar thumping of a heart. She looked at him oddly since then. Because she didn't know a thing about him. Not one thing about her best friend.

She never really did love him.

* * *

Child. Child. Child. _Child._

Her stomach bulged and she was panicking now because she was _with child._

She couldn't be. She couldn't have this thrust upon her. She couldn't deal with this. She hadn't _wanted this._ She wanted solace in times of need. She wanted a friend.

Anthemusa was pleased. More sirens meant so much to her.

She couldn't tell Arthur. She hadn't _seen_ Arthur. He had just been _gone._ He left her. He left her with his _child._ Oh, Novak, Provoa, _God,_ help her.

* * *

It was Albion who answered those prayers. One talk with Arthur, an angel of the lord, for a price. For one simple, easy-to-pay price, because it was growing within Chun Yan.

It was odd, this… _thing_ , inside of her. She didn't have to hunt anymore, because the others had taken that job. This was a break for her, but she didn't know about this child. It was half-siren, so it should have been hungry, and aggressive. It should have been kicking her out of desperation for food at any waking moment, but instead it was just… there.

Albion was something like Arthur. An angel, apparently, and here Chun Yan thought they were myths. She was still on the edge, when she thought of it like that, but Albion could call herself a deformed harpy at this point and Chun Yan was so desperate that she'd believe her.

"The child is an abomination, in its truest form. Born between a rebellious angel and a monster." She looked Chun Yan up and down. They were in a human establishment, and Chun Yan, despite being clothed, had never felt more naked in her life. "No offense, of course."

Albion was thin and blonde and emerald-eyed. She had a voice that made Chun Yan want to agree with her, despite everything she said being so… wrong.

"Of… of course." Chun Yan said quietly. Albion hummed with contemplation.

"Despite it all, however, my Father has seen it fit that it _lives._ " She sighed, taking a sip of her tea. "And that it should be protected. Coveted, if you will." Her eyes moved from Chun Yan to her stomach. "It cannot be raised among angels, and we both know that sirens wouldn't protect one thing in their lives." She said.

"I would." Chun Yan said, "I would keep it safe… I could…"

"Dear, you live in a place where the spy system is mostly filled with prostitutes." Albion said it as if it were pitiful. "You aren't capable of handling something so… powerful, as what you have."

"But-"

"There are others." Albion interrupted, "But they aren't like… _that._ They are all monster. They don't have the things that your child will."

"Who…?"

"None of your concern, dear." Albion spoke like everything she said was more important than what others could provide. Maybe it was. "Now then, the offer is that you will get this child for one year. Then it is the property of the angels."

Chun Yan looked at Albion, what other choice did she have?

"Not many, my dear. Your child will be hunted, and I'm only providing you protection, if you agree." Albion smiled, and Chun Yan stared at the table.

"I… I agree."

"Fantastic."

* * *

His eyes were bloodshot. His wings were torn. Bruises covered his body. He stared at Chun Yan with sorrow. He knew what he had done.

She was the first to make actual contact, with touch. She felt his cheek. She looked into his tired eyes, and saw the wear upon him.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. "I'm so, so sorry."

He looked up at her, weakened beyond all stretches and imaginings of the word. "What for?" He asked, "I was in the wrong. I took advantage of the lost. I never told you who I was."

"You did lie to me." She nodded, "But I never… we never…" He placed a hand on her stomach.

"You were my friend… my best friend…" She tried to get the words out.

"And you were mine. A little more than that, to me, at least." His arms were wrapped around her.

"I'm… I'm so…"

"Save yourself the trouble, and stay as far away from me as you can, Chun Yan." He whispered, holding her close.

She cried that day, as everything faded, and she was back on the Earth. She got her goodbye.

* * *

" _Leon," She leaned back on the bars of his cage. He was barely old enough to speak his first word. She wondered how much of him she would get to see, while she was here. "Don't ever get attached. Don't ever try to be more than what you are."_

* * *

 _They say that sometimes, when you listen closely, you can hear a siren's song, but it's not one of lust, or want, or need._

 _It is one of sadness._

* * *

" _And it's over, and I'm going under, and I'm not giving up._

 _I'm just, giving in."_

* * *

 **-AN-**

 **You know, Dragon Age is _really addicting._**


End file.
